HELP

[nutcracker]

Ds has had his name down at local private (but on school site) nursery for ages.

I wanted him to do 2 days a week, 9am - 3pm. He is entitled to the grant after xmas and so I would only be paying a small amount.

They have written to me today to say that all they have is afternoon sessions, mon-fri, 12.45 - 3.15.

I am not sure what to do now. By the time I get back from dropping him off, it will be about 1.10 and then I'll have to go out again at 2.45, so I am still not going to actually have time to do anything other than housework. I wouldn't havce time to do a shop or a course or anything.

I rang them to se if there was even 1 day he could do and she said no, there aren't any at all and there won't be until next Sept.

I have to let them know asap if I want any of the afternoon sessions or not, so do I ...

a) Have the 5 afternoon sessions and be in and out all day like a headless chicken.

b) Have them but hope he gets full days for Sept (there is no garuntee of this).

c) Look elsewhere (not sure if this is poss as all other nursery are about twice the price)

[katzguk]

can you buy extra time at lunch? with dd's nursery i can dropp her off at 11.45 with her lunch to eat it with the others

[SoupDragon]

(a) and (c)

[SackAche]

Nutty - I'd be inclined to go down the "looking for another Nursery" route!
Its a Private Nursery.... they should be catering for what YOU need, not dictating when you drop off and pick up your child. I've honestly never heard of a private nursery only offering a few hours a day! Are you sure they are not just saying this as these are your allocated "pre-school" sessions which are free?

Most private nurseries do half days or full days.

[nutcracker]

Nope they can only stay for lunch if they are doing a full day.

I should add that I don't drive, which is the main reason i'm not happy about going out for school in the morning, back again at lunch tuime for nursery and then back again for nursery and school pick up.

Me not driving also restricts the other places I can try.
I could get him in to the state nursery on a local estate and probably for full days, but I can't be in two places at one, morning and afternoon.

[SoupDragon]

But Sackache, most nurseries offer full or half days and if they already have their full quotia of children in the morning, they can't offer a full day, just afternoons. I assume this is what the problem is.

[nutcracker]

It is a private pre school nursery. Both dd's went there. Dd1 went for sessions but that only meant in and out twice.

Dd2 went for 2 full days. They l;et you use the 12.5 however you like, morning or afternoon sessions or all day, but then you pay for the lunch hour.

[nutcracker]

Since both dd's went there the nursery has been massivly extended but seemingly more popular too, as they are jam packed.

[GREATauntymandy]

they cant help that they have no places.
Most pre school (not private) only offer mornings or afternoons ayway.
Why dont you take a couple of afternoons and put your name day for the next available full day.

[SackAche]

Soupy - I know, but they are not offering her half days... they are offering her just the 2.5hrs pre-school sessions that come free from the government! Normally a half day would be 1-6pm for example.

[nutcracker]

I can do that auntymandy but she said that there is no garuntee of any full days in sept, it just depends.

[nutcracker]

They split there day in to 5 sections.

8-9 - Early morning session

9 - 11.45 - Morning session

11.45- 12.45 - Lunch time

12.45- 3.15 - Afternoon session

3.15 - 6 - Late session

With the 12.5 grant we can choose to do morning or afternoon sessions (or a mixture) or morning and afternoon sessions together, but pay for lunch hour, as the grant doesn't cover lunch hours.

[nutcracker]

Right have just rung them back to discuss it some more.

Have told them I will accept the 5 afternoons but that I want 2 days from Sept. She said the kids in the nursery get first refusal on any sesions available and so she thinks swapping to 2 days in sept should be fine.

[GREATauntymandy]

hope it works out for you.